String closure-affixing machine



March 25 1924. 1,488,w2

. E. A. CLAUS STRING CLOSURE AFFIXING MACHINE Original Filed June 20, 1918 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 E 4 .2 9 1 5 Lu P m STRING CLOSURE AFFIXING MACHINE e Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed June 20. 1918 E. A. CLAUS STRING CLOSURE AFFIXING MAEHINE Maich 25 1924.

Qriginal Filed June 20, 1918 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 March 25 1924.

v E.A.CLAUS STRING CLOSURE AFFIXING MACHINE 7 Original Filed June 20'. 1918 e Shets-Sheet 5 :wrf. I l I March 25 1924.

1,488,1l 92 E. A. CLAUS STRING CLOSURE AFFIXING MACHINE Original Filed- June 20. 1918 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented 25 132 i.

EMI-L A. CLAUS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

STRING CLOSURE-AFFIXING MACHINE.

Application filed June 26, 1918,. Serial No. 240,306. Renewed February 16, 1924.

To all ti /L077? it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMIL A. CLAUs, a a citizen of the United States, residing at New Yorln county of Kings, State of New York, have made a certain new and useful Invention in String Closure-Afiixing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to string closure afiixing machines, and generally to paper working machinery utilized for the manufacture of the flap or fiber washer, or commonly called button and string closure for envelopes, or the like. Theseenvelopes are characterized by small washers or buttons of relatively unyielding paper stock or fiber fastened to the flap of the envelope with a similar button or washer fastened to the body of the envelope and a string which is attached to one or the other of the two, usually the flap of the envelope, and is adapted to be passed over the buttons or washers to effect a closure of the envelope. Such a structure of envelope is disclosed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 221,206, filed March 8, 1918.

The object of the invention is to provide a machine for constructing such button and string envelopes rapidly, efliciently and economically.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine which will produce the washer with projections, for example, as a square washer or rectangular one, which greatly facilitates the fastening of the flap to the body portion by means of the string with little or no difficulty as compared with the round washer now known to the art. The advantage of this will be readily seen when it is taken into consideration that the washers, and particularly the round washers, are made up of a heavy fiber which is practically unbendable. or at least to retain its strength should not be bent, and are initially placed so close to the paper that it is impossible to quickly fasten the string about the same without bending the washer.

A. further object of the invention is to provide a machine allowing the use of the rectangularly shaped washer thereby enabling a great saving in expense due to the fact that a long strip of material may be utilized for the rectangularly shaped washer thus eliminating feeding the machine with a sheet of the washer material from which the round washers are cut with more or less waste material, and the incident necessity of providing means for removing such waste material.

For convenience in the description of the particular embodiment of this invention it may be noted that the construction generally adopted for these envelopes is to have upon the outside of the body a stiff fastening washer secured to the body by means of an eyelet which is upset to engage the body of the envelope and the washer and hold them securely in position relative to each other. Upon the flap of the envelope a similar construction is usually employed except that it is the usual custom to provide on the inside of the flap a comparatively thin washer, and these two washers and the flap are fastened together by means of the eyelet. In addition thereto a string which is used to effect the closure of the envelope has one end fastened under the eyelet which attaches the cooperating washers to the flap of the envelope. As these envelopes have heretofore generally been made by hand with the aid of a pair of cooperating dies to upset the eyelet and semi-automatic means to feed the eyelets, it has been customary to place the reinforcing washer upon the male die and then to insert the end of the tying string through a hole which has been previously made in the flap of the envelope and to place the flap of the envelope with the string s held over the male die. The string isv then given a turn about the male die, the fastening washer is placed thereon and the eyelet feeding and eyelet setting mechanism operated to force an eyelet through the hole in the fastening washer, the envelope flap, and the reinforcing washer, and to upset the eyelet on the inside of the flap and beneath the reinforcing washer.

The present invention provides means to accomplish these operations in an automatic ,manner, thereby enabling the production of a vast quantity of the envelopes so constructed by means of a machine.

The invention consists substantially in the construction, combination, location and relative arrangement of parts, all as will be more fully hereinafter set forth as shown by. the accompanying drawings. and finally pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings Figs. 1 and 1 constitute a plan View of a machine embodying my invention.

Figs. 2 and 2 constitute a view in side elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of that portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a similar view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a view in elevation of the looper employed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 6 is view in side elevation of the same.

Fig. 7 is a detail view of the eyelet positioning device.

Fig. 8 is a view in side elevation of the shears employed in accordance with my invention.

The same part is designated by the same reference character wherever .it occurs throughout the several views.

The machine of my invention comprises essentially means for providing a washer with its eyelet clamp for the body of the envelope, it being understood that the eyelet extends through only one side of the envelope body; and means for providing the flap of the envelope with a similar washer on the exterior surface thereof, and a relatively thinner and weaker washer on the interior surface thereof, the two washers and the flap of the envelope being clinched together by means of the eyelet, which eyelet also hasaffixed thereto the string for, in

the use of the envelope fastening the flap to the body of the envelope. Inasmuch as Figs. 1 and 1 and Figs. 2 and 2 respectively, illustrate the entire machine in plan and elevation respectively, I will describe the machine illustrated thereby in the order of the natural line of division formed by separate sheets of the drawings, the washer feed, the eyelet feed, and the plunger mechanism for the body of the envelope and the relatively weak washer feed and plunger mechanism for the interior surface of the flap being shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and the comparatively stronger washer feed, eyelet feed, and threading or loop making device being shown in connection with Figs. 1 and 2*. It will also be understood that the entire machine is actuated from a single source of power and that the actuation thereof is simultaneous and continuous for the entire machine.

The machine comprises aframe indicated at A, which is essentially stationary, and is of suflicient strength and size to support the apparatus mounted thereon for eflieient operation. J ournaled in the frame A is a shaft 1 carrying at one end a wheel 1 and at the opposite end a wheel 1 one of which comprises the ordinary fly wheel, and the, other a means of connection to any suitable source of power.

I will now describe the plunger actuation on the left side of the machine, that is, for the body and inner surface of the flap of the envelope, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The shaft 1 has mounted thereon to rotate therewith a gear 2, which meshes with a; gear 3 mounted on shaft 4. Shaft 4 is provided with an eccentrica-lly located stud 5 to which is pivotally secured at one end a link 6. The opposite end of the link 6 is secured to a shaft 7, which shaft carries by means of a bracket 8 the plungers 9 and 10, the plunger 9 being what I will term the body plunger, and the plunger 10 being what I will term the inner flap plunger. It

will be seen that upon rotation of shaft 4 shaft 7 will move backwards and forwards thereby causing the plungers 9 and 10 to move in correspondingly backward and forward directions, the plungers 9 and 10 moving in unison, as will be understood. The plungers each are provided with a small'pin 10 for engagement with the eyelet, as will be more fully hereinafter explained, which small pin is adapted to move in the body of the plungers 9 and 10, the same being hollowed out to accommodate the eyelet plunger. The plungers 9 and 10 are substantially square in cross section, and the cutting head or edge thereof indicated atll is utilized for cutting the washers therefor from the paper strip and fedethrough the machine.

The movement of the plunger actuated as above described from shaft 1 is as follows :On the forward movement of shaft 7 the plungers 9 and 10 and the eyelet pins 1O move together and the eyelet pin passes through the eyelet as will be more fully hereinafter described, and picks up the same in the eyelet retaining device indicated at 15 and which will be more fully hereinafter described, and carries the eyelet to the anvil head 13 mounted on the anvil bar 80, and the eyelet pin 10 allowed independent movement thereof relative to the plungers 9 and 10. or, in other words,merely mounted therein for longitudinal movement upon the anvil 13, retains the eyelet in place against the anvil 13, so that upon the further forward movement of the plunger head 11 of the respective plungers 9 and 10 the paper feed is cut the required size by the cutting head 11, impinged upon the eyelet, and the plunger head 11 coming in contact with the eyelet on the anvil head 13 offsets the eyeletto clinch the washer and the body of the envelopc. The forward movement of the plungers 9 and 10 after the eyelet pin 10 has struck the anvil head 13, or rather the relative movement of the head 11 and the eyelet pin 10", is effected by means of a compression spring 12 carried in the body of the plungers 9 and 10 and bearing against the end of the eyelet pin 10 so that the eye let is held against the anvil head 13 as the Lesa-192 plunger 9 moves forwardly compressing the spring so that upon the further rotation of the shaft 4 both the plungers 9 and 10 will be drawn to their retracted position allowing the spring 12 to force the eyelet pin 10" into itsnornial position projecting out fromthe cuttinghead 11 of the plunger 9. The plunger 10 which is actuated with plunger 9 acts as anvil or an upsetter for the eyelet, of the flap, which eyelet is fed to the flap of the envelope in a manner which will be. more fully hereinafter described. The plunger lo which is operated with the plunger 10 serves to puncture the washer prior to its reception by the eyelet plunger for the flap, as will likewise be more fully hereinafter described. Also secured to the shaft 7 by means of the brackets 8' are auxiliary plungers 10 one for each of the plungers 9 and 10, and actuated s1- multaneously therewith for the purpose of preliminarily punching a hole in the center of the washer, or, rather what. will be the center of the washer when the same is de tached from the strip by means of thecutting edge 11 of the plunger at the completing action of the machine. This hole 1s for the reception of the eyelet in the final actuation of the machine. This may happen at any time prior to the severance of the washer from the body of. the strip, and in the form. shown in Fig. 3 and indicated in full line at 10 it will be noted that the operation of the plunger effects the punching of the strip of the paper feed at three successive steps prior to the final action of the machine. I do. not, however, WlSll to be limited or restricted in this respect as by proper positioning of the plungers 10 this preliminary punching the hole for the reception of the eyelet may be secured at any time during the washer feed.

I will now describe the mechanlsms as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 for feeding the washer material to the body of the envelope and for feeding the comparatively thin washer material for the inner surface of the. flap of the envelope. Mounted on the shaft 1, referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 3, is a wheel carrying a cam surface 20. Pivoted to the frame A of the machine as at 21 is a link 22 which is rocked about the pivot 21 upon the rotation of the shaft 1 by means of a roller 22 bearing against the cam surface 20. Upon the rotation. of the shaft 1 the movement of the arm 22 is in a plane at right angles to the plane of the section of Fig. 3. The end of the arm 22 carries one end of a link 23 which is loosely carried by the shaft 26 and to the other end of which is secured a pawl 24-. adapted to engage a, ratchet 25 carried on the shaft 26, which shaft also carries a roll 27. Also secured to. the shaft 26 is a gear 28, which gear meshes with a gear mounted on the sameshaft as the tension roller 29, (see Fig. 1), which gear for the purpose of more clearly. showing the invention has been omitted. Thus it willbe seen that upon actuation of the shaft 1 the roller 27 will be intermittently rotatedthrough the pawl and ratchet connection causing the paper strip which ispositioned between the two rollers 27, 29, to be intermittently advanced. The washer strips are fed between the rollers 27, 29, intermittently, as described, down to their final position 30, having been punched at 10 for the reception of the eyelet at its position 30 indicated. Upon reaching its position 30 the washer proper which is attached to the envelope by means of the eyelet is severed from the remainder of said strip by means of the plunger and the actuation of which has heretofore been described, 30in this instance illustrating the position of the inner flap washer and 31 indicating the position of the body washer. It will be noted that the slot 32 provided in the frame of the machine for the passage of the strip of washer material therein is mounted on an adjustable slide indicate-d at 40, which slide may be shifted to the left relative to the stationary base 33 which carries the plunger for the flap, and by having the rollers 27, 29, of suitable or desired length and shifting in any suitable manner the whole block including the eyelet feed which is illustrated and which will. be more fully hereinafter described, and also including the reception groove 32 and by adjusting the guide 34 for supporting the strip of material 35 which is fed into the machine to form the washers the machine can be adjusted for any desired size envelope, thus enabling the positioning of the body washer at any desired position throughout the longitudinal length of the envelope. All that is required for this adjustment is the unloosening of the bolts 36 to allow the body 40 with the eyelet feed and the strip feed to be thus shifted.

It is to be noted that the washer material 35 is in the form of long strips of the desired width, and the guide 3 1 is carried by an arm 34, which in turn is supported by frame A of the machine. In the form shown the paper feed, guide, etc, feeds the material to the machine in parallel strips at an exact angle of 45. This insures the flap washer and the body washer to be in hne with each other with the projecting ends of the washer on an axis which passes through both of the washers positioned on the envelope thus securing a true alignment. Vhile this is a desirable feature I do not desire to be limited or restricted thereto as many other desired results may be obtained by shifting the angle of feed of the washer strips. 35.

I will now describe the eyelet feed of the machine. The eyelet feed on both sides of the machine is identical in construction and operation, and while it is impossible to show in Fig. 3 the entire eyelet feed construction, a complete description thereof together with the actuating mechanism therefor will be obtained by referring to both Fig. 3 and Fig. 4. Mounted on the base 40, whicn as heretofore described is adjustable, is a hopper 41, which feeds into a guideway or slot 42, the respective eyelets individually one upon the other in the usual chain feed manner. The guide 42 is carried by a body 43 which is slidably mounted in the support 44, which support is carried by the body and is stationary relative thereto. The body 48 has secured thereto a roller 45 and a yoke 46 is located around the roller 45 of a desired length to allow engagement between the roller and the yoke upon adjustment of the member 40 relative to the member 43 as hereinbefore described. The yoke 46 comprises one end of a lever 47 which is rocked about a pivot point 48 carried by the frame A of the machine by means of acam 49 mounted on shaft 1 so that upon the rotation of the shaft 1 the lever 47 moves upwardly and by means of the yoke and roller 46, 45, moves the body 43 and consequently the guide 42 with its hopper 41 upwardly. The movable portion or body 43 ca T165 an eyelet seoarator 49 ada )ted to slide backwards and upwards in a bracket 50 carried by the movable body 43 of the machine. The stationary body 40 has secured thereto a stationary cam surface 51, and by cam surface in this instance I mean a surface arranged at an angle with the horizontal plane of the machine. Secured to the cam surface is a spring 52 formed into a loop. The eyelet separator 49 is provided with a roller 53 at its outer end, which roller bears against the surface of the cam 51 and against the inner surface of the spring 52 lying between the cam surface 51 and the spring as clearly shown. The construction of the eyelet separator is as follows: It is milled away at a receding angle indicated at for half of its thickness, and

is provided with a platform of approximately half its height at its extreme forward end indicated at 61. When the separator 49 is moved to the right all of the eyelets will slide in the groove 42 with the bottommost eyelet falling on the platform 61. On the movement to the left of the separator from this position the edge of the milled portion 60 will inject itself between the bottommost eyelet and the eyelet immediately above the same allowing the bottommost eyelet thus separated to continue its downward travel in the slot 42, and preventing the eyelets above the bottommost eyelet from passing downwardly in the slot 42. The purpose of the spring 52 hereinbefore described in addition to causing the eyelet separator '49 to return to its pro jected position upon the downward move ment of the member 43 and guide 42, etc, is to provide a means to enable the operator to insert an eyelet in place of any defective one that might be inadvertently placed in the hopper feeding into the guide 42. For example, if the bottommost eyelet is defective, or if for any reason it is desired to insert an eyelet in the groove 42, the oper ator is enabled to by hand retract the separator 49 against the action of the spring 52 thus allowing the insertion of a good eyelet on the platform 61 so that upon the next actuation of the machine such eyelet will be allowed to continue its travel in the slot 42 into the eyelet positioning device which I will now describe.

The eyelet positioning device is indicated at 15 in Fig. 1 and is located to one side of the anvil head 13 and the anvil bar 80 against which the eyelet is upset. The eyelet positioning device comprises two door members pivotally carried by groove member 42 by means of screws 71. The two doors or gates are curved on their interior surface to conform to the shape of the eyelet so that the eyelet dropping into position rests against these doors. Springs 72 re tain the doors normally and yieldingly in a closed position so that in its movement when the eyelet plunger 10 picks up the eyelet in the manner hereinbefore described and the groove or movable body member 43 is moved upwardly by means of the actuation of the lever 47 in the manner hereinbefore described the eyelet which has been placed in position and which has been penetrated by means of the eyeletplunger and thus held against upward movement is allowed to slip between the gate or doors 70 against the action of the spring 72 as will be readily understood, and from thence the eyelet is projected through the washer placed over the anvil, the washer severed from its strip, and the eyelet upset to complete the washer construction. The eyelet feed mechanism as above described and above stated is identical in its operation for both the body of the envelope and the flap thereof.

I also provide means for agitating the eyelets contained in the hopper 41 Fig. 4), which consists essentially of brushes 75 carried by a member- 76 mounted on a shaft 77 within the hopper 41. To the end of said shaft is secured a link 78, the free end of which is secured by means of an arm 79 to a pivot point 8O positioned on the stationary member 44 so that when the hopper, groove and movable member, etc., are moved upward as hereinbefore described the link 7 8 is rotated in this instance counter clockwise thereby rotating the shaft 7 7 counter clockwise causing a sweeping movement of the brushes 7 5, and likewise when the hopper and movable body is again lowered a reversal of the direction of actuation of the brushes within the hopper is secured thus insuring the proper feed of the eyelets one by one into the groove 42 as will be readily understood.

1 will now describe the positioning mecha nism for positioning the envelope to which is to be ELfilXOCl the washers, etc., inthe machine, reference being had particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 8. Inasmuch as the body of the envelope is not punctured through both walls thereof but merely through one wall thereof it is necessary to provide means for preventing punching the entire body, and for this purpose I provide a stationary anvil member so positioned that an envelope may be inserted thereover with the anvil 80 extending into the body of the envelope. It is necessary to affix the washers directly in the center of the body and flap of the envelope, and inasmuch as is frequently the case envelopes are not regular in their construo tion, it is consequently necessary to provide an adjustment of the envelope positioning mechanism. This mechanism consists essentially of a table 85, which may be raised or lowered on a shaft 86 and positioned on said shaft by means of thumb screws 86 The plane of the table can be adjusted by means of its swivel connection on the arm 87 by which it is secured to the shaft 86, the swivel connection being controlled by means of the thumb screws 87: To adjust the flap, that is, the distance to which the flap will project into the machine thus securing an adjustment of the position of the flap washer for all size flaps of envelopes I mount on the anvil member 80 a member 90 adjustaloly positioned thereon by means of set screws 91 passing through an elongated slot 91 in the member, the member 90 being provided wlth a limiting stop 92 for the edge of the flap of the envelope as will be understood.

The eyelet feed for the body of the envelope, as above described, is secured on the left side of the machine and the eyelet feed for the flap of the envelope is secured on the right side of the machine in identical manner.

I will now describe the operation and the plunger mechanism on the right hand side of the machine which is utilized for the flap washer. It will be understood that the plunger operating mechanism for the flap carries with it the operation of severing the 'outer'surface washer from its strip and also picking up and positioning the eyelet, proj ecting the same through the hole previously cut in the washer, and finally the clamping or offsetting the eyelet about the inner washer, body of the envelope and outer washer. In addition thereto it might be added that the string for effecting the closure of the envelope in use is also included in the operation of the right hand side of the machine and will be described hereafter, the clamping of the string, or rather the looping thereof about the eyelet being secured simultaneously with the other operations in connection with this particular'washer. The plunger on the right hand side of the machine is indicated at and carries therein the eyelet plunger 101 for movement both independent of and together with the plunger 100. The eyelet plunger, it will be understood, is adapted to project through the eye let positioning device 102 and the washer strip 103 and through the string winding device which will be more fully hereinafter described, and meets the paper strip which is interposed between it and the plunger 10 hereinbefore described. This operation takes place before the main plunger 100 cuts the washer strip 103 and comes in contact with the strip and plunger 10 heretofore described. lVhen the plunger 100 moves toward and from the position shown the spring 104 projects the plunger 101 forwardly at a much faster rate of speed than the movement of the plunger 100 as hereinafter described. After the operation of upsetting the eyelet has been accomplished a spring 105 carried by the body of the machine presses down a dog 106 pivotally carried by the body of the plunger 100 and which passes into a slot or depression cut in the plunger 100, bears against the collar 107 of the eyelet plunger 101 so that upon the retractive movement of the plunger 100 the yelet plunger 101 and the plunger 100 move in unison to their retracted position with the eyelet plunger 101 locked against movenent relative to the plunger 100. When, however, the next forward movement of the plunger 100 is caused through the crank and gear mechanism generally indicated at 108 and corresponding essentially in the construction of plunger actuating mechanism as described in connection with Fig. 1, a pin 109 carried by dog 106 meets the bevelled surface of spring can1111 suitably secured in a stationary manner to the body A as indicated at 112, thereby on the forward movement of the plunger 100 lifting the dog 106 out of retarded position relative to the collar 107 on the plunger 101 allowing said plunger 101 to be projected sharply forwardly by means of'the spring 104, which up to this point had been retained under compression. The hopper device for feeding eyelets to the eyelet plunger 101 is essentially identical with the eyelet mechanism described inconnection with Fig. 8. Reference character C indicates in Fig. 1 a suitable spool carried by machine body A for supporting the strip of washer material which is fed to the flap portion of the machine, and the complementary spools D indicated in Fig. 1 illustrate the two respective spools carried by the body A for feeding the endless strip of washer material 35 to the guides 34 of Fig. 3.

I will now describe what is known as the looper or string winding device, that is, the portionof the machine which secures the string to the eyelet of the flap, referring particularly to Fig. 4. A stationary vertical standard 200 carried by the body of the frame has mounted at its top a shaft 201 to which shaft is secured alink 202, the end of which has pivotally secured thereto an arm 203 provided at its end with a yoke 204 surrounding the shaft 1. Also mounted on the shaft 201 to rotate therewith is an arm 204 the connecting arms 203 and 202 being so designed that upon slight upward movement of the arm 203 the arm 204 will move a substantial arc of a circleabout its pivot point 201. The yoke 204 is caused to rock by means of the roller 207 carried by the yoke coming in contact with the eccentric 208 mounted on the shaft 1 so that the arm 203 is moved up and downwardly by means of the cam movement about the shaft 201. A spring not shown attached to the collar 209 and to the body of the machine insures ready readjustment of the parts to their normal position when the eccentric has passed its point of eccentricity. The end of the arm 204 is provided with what I will term the string guide 219 which consists essentially of a body through which extends a slot 220 throughout its length to allow the string to pass therethrough. An eccentric indicated at 221 when rocked in one position opens the passage of the string through the string guide and when rocked in the other position effectively clamps the string in the string guide. In the view shown in Fig. 4 the cam lock 1. shown open, the same having become opened in this position by meeting in the path of its counter clockwise travel about the pivot point 201 an arm 230 shown in dotted lines on Fig. 1.

The string guide is provided with an elongated member indicated at 231 which con sists of two plates between which the string passes and comes out of the same through the nozzle portion 232. When the clockwise movement of the arm 204 about its pivot 201 is started the cam lock 221 is in its open position. At this time the end of the string which projects from out of the nozzle 232 about one-quarter of an inch is clamped by the winding mechanism as will be hereinafter described. The arm 204 will swing clockwise allowing the string to pass freely through the slot 220 therein. As soon as the cam lock 221 strikes the lever 240 the cam lock 221 is rocked thereby clinching the string in the guide body 219 so that upon the forward movement of the string guide the string guide 15 advanced to position as shown 111 Fig. 4. The rotation of shaft 1,

however, which secures the action of the arm.

405 are pivotally secured together by screw 407 which is fastened to the block 408 which slides up and down in the groove of the support 400. Attached 'to or forming part of the block 408 is the lug 248 which is engaged by the cam 247 onshaft 1 as above described.

The engagement between the cam 247 and the lug 248 causes block 408 to move upwardly and close the blades 404 and 405 so that when the string guide has moved clockwise to a position to the rear of shears 249 the string is severed, and thereafter the dog 248 is released by the cam 247, the block 408 slides downwardly in the grooved support '400and the shears are allowed to again open and .7

return to the normal position by means of a spring 410 not shown in Fig. 4 but shown in Fig. 8 and which in practice is connected between the pins 250. The shears cut the string at one end to the desired length for each envelope, the other end of course being clamped in the eyelet in a manner which will be hereinafter described, and with respect to the string guide the shears cut the string so that approximately one-quarter of an inch projects from the nozzle 232 of the string guide. It is apparent that immediately after the string is cut the lock 221 having clinched the string in the film guide 219 on the counterclockwise movement of the string guide the string is again drawn down to be engaged upon the next operation of the winding device. In other words, further rotation of the shaft 1 from this position allows the string guide nozzle to again project the string into the winding device. The winding device as illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, consists of a rotatable member which is positioned at the point of upsetting of the eyelet of the flap on the right hand side of the machine and is driven from shaft 1 by means of sprocket 300, chain 301, sprocket 302, mounted on shaft 303, on which shaft is mounted a gear wheel 304 (see Fig. 4) which meshes with a gear wheel 305 on the shaft on which or to which is secured the looping or string winding member 306. The looping member 306 consists essentially of a ri id portion 306 and a yieldable portion 30%, said portions referring to ring segments.

The yieldable portion 307 is engaged at one end by means of a spring 308 to project the other end into contact with the end of the stationary portion 306. At the proper time the yieldable portion is moved to open the space between the stationary portion 306 and the yieldable portion 307 by means of an arm 309 (see Figs. 1 and l), which arm is projected into engaging relation with a lug 310 carried by the movable portion 307, the proper actuation of the arm 309 being secured through links 319. which are controlled by means of a roller 313 actuated by a cam 314 mounted on the shaft 1. When the yield-able portion 307 is positioned or en gaged by arm 309 to open the space indicated at 350 between the yieldable portion 307 and the stationary portion 305, the string guide projects the string therein and the arm 309 is withdrawn out of engaging relation with lug 310 allowing the spring 308 to close the space 350 thereby effectively clamping the string between the members 307 and 306. It is understood that during this operation the entire winding device is being rotated and thereby the string is wound around the eyelet a sufficient number of times according to the gearing reduction, or, if desired, for the purpose of securing an efficient attachment between the string and the eyelet. After this operation the upsetting operation of the eyelet. is effected by means of the opposed plungers 10 and 100 coming together and the construction of the flap fastening means is thus completed. It will be understood that in View of the many operations required a lengthy description has resulted but that the time required for the actual completion of one envelope is approximately small as a machine of this construction in operation has completed as a minimum seventy-five envelopes per minute.

It will also be seen that every movable part of the machine is run from a single shaft, and that all the parts are automatic in action, the only labor required being putting on an envelope, allowing the machine to act thereon, and taking the completed envelope with the fastening washers afiixed thereto from the machine.

Many modifications and changes in detail will readily occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, therefore what I claim as new and useful and of my own invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is,

1. In a machine of the class described, and in combination with means for receiving an envelope in a relatively fixed position, of means for feeding a plurality of strips of material to different portions of said. envelope at parallel angles to the horizontal planev of said machine, means for cutting from said strips predetermined lengths thereof, and means for affixing the severed lengths of said strips to different points of the envelope on the same axis thereof, and means for adjusting the distances apart of said strips without affecting the angle of feed thereof, to thereby afford adjustment of the machine for varying sizes of envelopes.

2. In a machine of the class described, and in combination with means for receiving an envelope in a relatively fixed position, of means for feeding a plurality of strips of material to different portions of said envelope at an angle of 45 degrees to the horizontal plane of said machine, means for cutting from said strips predetermined lengths thereof, and means for anixing the severed lengths of said strips to different points of the envelope on the same axis thereof, and means for adjusting the distances apart of said strips Without affecting the angle of feed thereof, to thereby afiord adjustment of the machine for varying sizes of envelopes.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand on this 17th day of June A. D., 1918.

EMIL A. CLAUS. 

